I believe it was tenth grade, I didn't make the A Honor Roll and I was so embarrassed. More than that I was angry. That semester I had a Math class that was really kicking my tail. You know me, I don't do numbers, but I will try and work hard at anything I'm tasked to do. I got a D on my first progress report for that class and I was devastated. I look back now and understand that the D wasn't final, but I tell you what... it sure hurt! I have never worked so hard and struggled so much as I did in that class. I brought my grade up to a B by the end of the semester and I was so proud. But no one celebrated. My mom and dad were satisfied because it wasn't a D, but it sure wasn't an A, and my teacher wasn't really worried because I had passed. No one noticed or celebrated the hard work I had put in to earn that B.

Today's education has shifted to a growth mindset. Meet kids where they are and give them tools to succeed and learn. If they've shown growth, then we've succeeded. We have to push kids to work hard, even just work some days, but it takes perseverance, motivation, determination and most of those things students don't just HAVE. So we have to be and do those things to get them to progress and learn. When they do show growth, we need to celebrate it. We need to put it up on the wall, out in the hall, shout it from the roof tops, or just pat them on the back and say "GREAT JOB!! I'm proud of you!"

Or you could have a Growth Party in your class. Every student who has shown growth on their benchmarks and worked hard, you need to reward them. It's not just the kids who make A's or 100's that deserve to be celebrated. That kid that improved from a level 1 to a level 2.... he needs to be celebrated. Because next time he might do better, all because you noticed. They deserve a doughnut and some juice for breakfast or popsicles the last 15 minutes of class, show them you SEE what they're doing and you're PROUD of them and their hard work. Sometimes you're the only one in their life that is there to tell them that. Sometimes no one else will see their grades, but you do. You know. You worked hard too.

What you choose to do with the Discovery Education Benchmarks or the teacher made benchmarks is clearly up to you. Take a grade or don't, acknowledge their strengths and build their weaknesses or don't. But until students are held accountable for the time they put in to taking those tests, they aren't going to take it seriously. Prove to them this isn't just wasting a day on a benchmark that doesn't matter. It does matter. Give the students some encouragement and motivation in working to be and do better. Build that relationship of trust and respect and show the students they are worthy of praise because they CAN and they DID. Hard work deserves to be celebrated.